Women in pastoral counties asked to stand up for their rights
What you need to know:
- Women in pastoral communities have been challenged to participate in societal processes, especially on peace building to ensure improved livelihoods.
- While celebrating female peace ambassadors, Dr Elizabeth Pantoren, the Director of Programmes at the Northern Rangelands Trust asked women to stand up for their rights and seize available opportunities to make their lives better.
Women in pastoral communities have been challenged to participate in societal processes, especially on peace building to ensure improved livelihoods.
While celebrating 25 female peace ambassadors from conflict prone areas in Northern Kenya, Dr Elizabeth Pantoren, the Director of Programmes at the Northern Rangelands Trust asked women to stand up for their rights and seize available opportunities to make their lives better.
The peace ambassadors have been instrumental in addressing inter-tribal conflicts and preventing cattle raids in 10 counties.
“Do not wait for things to happen but make them happen. Let us ensure our voice on development, conservation and leadership is recognised,” Dr Pantoren told more than 70 women from Northern and Coastal counties at St George Laisamis Catholic Church grounds in Marsabit.
The International Women Day celebrations brought together leaders from across the Northern Kenya.
Community conservancies
Of the 25 recognised women was Ms Nabiki Lesuper, Ms Habiba Tadicha and Ms Amina Ahmed from Kalama, Biliqo-Bulesa and Pate Marine community conservancies in Samburu, Isiolo and Lamu respectively.
Ms Tadicha said while women involvement in peace efforts still faced impediments due to traditions, communities were slowly embracing them and following their guidance during peace meetings.
“The law has given us the power to take part in peace building and we have been talking to youths and men to ensure peaceful coexistence among communities,” she said.
NRT CEO Tom Lalampaa, said the community conservancies had placed a lot of importance of women and gender mainstreaming to ensure they have equal opportunities with men.
He said they will continue supporting women involvement in mitigating conflicts and take lead in conservation and protection of natural environment to prevent resource-based conflicts.
Mr Lalampaa said 160 women had been employed in various community conservancy boards and that out of 845 people who took part in last year’s social training forums conducted in Samburu, Isiolo, West Pokot and Marsabit, 429 were women.
To prevent degradation of rangelands, NRT has supported 200 women in Laikipia in biological control of invasive cactus that prevents grass growth.
Harmful practices
Marsabit County First Lady Alamitu Jattani reiterated her commitment to empowering women through training and sensitisation on need to abandon Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other harmful practices.
“We have and will continue training them on need to do away with FGM and shun marrying off their young daughters so that they transit to the highest level of education,” she said.
She said the county government was offering men and women equal employment rights.
“Women should build each other, not wait for the banquet to be prepared for them but be among those preparing it so that they are part of the beneficiaries,” Ms Jattani appealed.
At least 1,059 women and youth enterprises benefited from NRT’s Sh45.3 million microloans last year according to Mr Lalampaa.
Marsabit Woman Representative Safia Sheikh Adan asked women to support each other and take advantage of available government opportunities to empower themselves..
